DESCRIPTION

Leaders who are interested in planting or revitalizing congregations often feel discouraged and defeated after leadership conferences, or after reading about the ‘heroes’ of church planting and church growth. “They are amazing,” they say. “I can’t be that amazing.”

But Jesus’ load is easy and his burden is light. When we examine the practices and characteristics of those ‘heroes’, we see striking trends and commonalities. Aspiring church leaders can learn the practices and develop the characteristics that will lead to successful churches. Instead of feeling defeated, new leaders should have a hope-filled sense of what new thing they can do. 

Authors Matt Miofsky and Jason Byasse carefully researched, interviewed, and profiled successful church-growers across the U.S., and identified 8 characteristics these leaders and their congregations have in common. These pastors are still learning, still figuring out how to do this work and how to faithfully live into God’s call. But for now, how are they doing what they do? What mistakes have they made & learned from? Where have they paid the stupid tax that others should avoid? Each of these ‘heroes’ is painfully ordinary and up front about their flaws. And each can see slightly farther than the rest of us. What do they see that we can learn from?

Discover the 8 characteristics, and learn how to adapt them for your own congregation and calling:

1. Believe in miracles and act accordingly
2. Integrate new people quickly
3. Love the local
4. Exist to reach the next person
5. Elevate the practice of giving
6. Work in teams
7. Preach effectively to skeptics
8. Make friends with the denomination

About the authors:
Jason Byassee is the Butler Chair in Homiletics and Biblical Interpretation at Vancouver School of Theology.  He previously served as senior pastor of Boone United Methodist Church, a 1500-member congregation in Boone, NC. He is trained in systematic theology with a PhD from Duke, and he worked as a journalist at faithandleadership.com and at The Christian Century magazine. He authored six books, including The Gifts of the Small Church and Trinity: The God We Don't Know with Abingdon Press.

Matt Miofsky is Lead Pastor of The Gathering United Methodist Church, Saint Louis, Missouri, a church begun in 2006 with over 1,000 people worshiping each week across four sites and 8+ services. The Gathering was founded with a vision of creating a Christian community that is compelling for new generations in Saint Louis. Matt gained a degree in Advanced Math and played football at Washington University and then attended Candler School of Theology. Matt lives with his family in Saint Louis, Missouri.